Very cool post from one of our Miami forumers describing the inspiration process behind Arquitectonica's Resorts World Miami design:

Quote:

Originally Posted by casamagda

The design is definitely risky, and I like it.
The architect has described his inspiration for the design to come for the natural environments in Miami. This is what he is talking about.
It all starts with water...
So the pedestal has this free form shapes the lend themselves to very interesting terraces in the meeting spaces and ballroom.
The towers are inspired by the animals and shells in a coral reef.

Florida lawmakers Rep. Erik Fresen and Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff have filed legislation that would offer casino licenses to three resort projects in Florida. Those wanting to apply for a license would be required to pay a $50 million fee to be considered, with more weight given to projects that start construction earlier. Each resort would have to spend at least $2 billion on development and construction after receiving the license. Malaysian firm Genting, which is looking to open a casino in downtown Miami, said the Destination Resorts Act, as the legislation is called, would bring 100,000 new jobs to the state, according to spokesperson Jessica Hoppe.

Here are the facts regarding the Casino Bill taken from the article linked above:

• Three resort casinos would be authorized in Miami-Dade and Broward, the two counties that now offer slot-machines gaming.
In return for the exclusive licenses, casino operators must commit to investing at least $2 billion on entertainment, convention center and resort complexes intended to draw tourists and high-rolling gamblers. The price tag to participate is $50 million, refunded if the state rejects a company’s bid.

• Casinos would pay 10 percent tax on net revenues. That is less than the 35 percent tax rate now imposed on the revenues of the state’s eight pari-mutuels with slot machine licenses in South Florida.

• Casino space must be no more than 10 percent of the total square footage of the facility.

• Casino games would include slot machines, roulette wheels, craps, poker, blackjack, baccarat and other table games.
• The casino space would be segregated from other attractions, so that a visitor can attend the resort without ever having to see the gambling venues.

• Applicants for the “limited gaming” license would be judged based on their ability to “increase tourism, generate jobs, provide revenue to the local economy and provide revenue to the General Revenue Fund.”

• The bidders would be scored based on a system that gives 35 percent weight to the proposal’s design and location, 10 percent to the company’s management expertise, 35 percent to the speed with which it can get its plans to market, 10 percent to its access to capital, and 10 percent to its community plan.
• Key employees of the casinos would have to pay a $5,000 application fee for an occupational license and undergo an extensive background check. Suppliers would pay a $25,000 license and each resort would pay a $50,000 alcoholic beverage license.

• Casinos would be open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and be allowed to serve alcohol during all of those hours.

• Resorts would have to prove financial strength and ability to “train and employ residents” including training of “low-income persons.”

• A State Gaming Commission would be created to select the winning bidders. It would be headquartered in South Florida and have broad authority to not only issue the licenses but to investigate and issue subpoenas, take enforcement action, collect taxes and impose fees and penalties. It would be exempt from public disclosure rules for some financial data and would be allowed to hold some of its meetings in secret.

• The commission would serve as the head of the Department of Gaming Control, the state agency that replaces the current Division of Pari-mutuel wagering.

• The commission would be composed of seven members with staggered four-year terms. They would be appointed by the governor and include an accountant with gaming experience and a veteran law enforcement officer. Three names would be nominated for each post by a nominating committee of legislators appointed by the House speaker and the Senate president.

• Commission members would be paid $125,000 yearly and the chairman, named by the governor, would be paid $135,000.

• Strict limits would be placed on who can serve on the commission, including a ban on banning anyone with a personal or financial relationship to any of the applicants or anyone who has been under indictment or been charged with a gambling violation or fraud.

• All casino owners and partners would have to undergo strict background checks, including financial screening.

• The Department of Gaming Control would contract with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to assist in investigations and enforcement and contract with the Department of Revenue to assist in tax collection and investigation.

Miami is weird. It looks like it has one long, 'porous', over-stretched skyline that doesn't actually look like much in the end. Besides a couple of decent clusters here and there. It needs some unifying if you ask me.

Miami is weird. It looks like it has one long, 'porous', over-stretched skyline that doesn't actually look like much in the end. Besides a couple of decent clusters here and there. It needs some unifying if you ask me.

Give Miami a little credit. You should have seen it ten years ago. And if gaming passes, it will quite likely become the third best skyline in the US.

(1) I don't agree that it has a 'long way to go' to become that and (2) if gaming is approved, the skyline will go 'a long way.'

You don't have to like it. But the skyline is become outstanding ... and will be becoming immense given gaming.

I promise you when polling people of the top American skylines Miami is NOT a top 3 response and in order for it to be it will seriously have to come a long way. Miami doesn't have any iconic structures and the skyline has major holes in it. The lack of density also works against it. There are many skylines well ahead of Miami. It certainly is getting better but so are all the cities that are already ahead of it.

I promise you when polling people of the top American skylines Miami is NOT a top 3 response and in order for it to be it will seriously have to come a long way. Miami doesn't have any iconic structures and the skyline has major holes in it. The lack of density also works against it. There are many skylines well ahead of Miami. It certainly is getting better but so are all the cities that are already ahead of it.

But you're of course entitled to your biased opinion.

I can see that this is important to you and that you are really digging in now.